Verbs That Change Meaning in the Preterite and the Imperfect

1
Verbs That Change Meaning in the Preterite and
the Imperfect

• Page 90 Chapter 2Realidades 3

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Verbs That Change in Meaning from Preterite to
Imperfect Tenses

• A few Spanish verbs have different meanings in
  the imperfect and the preterite tenses
• SABER
• CONOCER
• QUERER
• NO QUERER
• PODER

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SABER

• Imperfect knew
• Sabías que el concierto empezaba tarde?
• Did you know that the concert began late?
• Preterite found out, learned
• Sí, supe ayer que empezaba tarde.
• Yes, I found out that it began late.

4
CONOCER

• Imperfect knew (somebody)
• Pedro conocía muy bien a esa actriz.
• Pedro knew that actress very well.
• Preterite met (somebody) for the first time
• Luis la conoció el año pasado.
• Luis met her last year.

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QUERER

• Imperfect wanted to
• Luis quería comprar las entradas hoy.
• Luis wanted to buy the tickets today.
• Preterite tried to, attempted to
• Yo quise comprarlas, pero me enfermé.
• I tried to buy them but I got sick.

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NO QUERER

• Imperfect didnt want to
• No querían ver esa obra de teatro.
• They didnt want to see that play.
• Preterite refused to
• No quisieron ver esa obra de teatro.
• They refused to see that play.

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PODER

• Imperfect was able to, could
• Ella podía aprender la letra de la canción.
• She was able to learn the letter of the song.
• Preterite managed to, succeeded in
• Ella pudo aprender la letra de esa canción.
• She succeeded in learning the letter of that song.